Yahoo News 'Vile' paedophile filmed himself raping baby so he could join private paedophile discussion group
A “vile” paedophile has been jailed for 15 years after filming himself raping a six-month baby girl and abusing a two-year-old baby boy.
Tashan Gallagher posted the footage to an encrypted app so he could join a private paedophile discussion group that had a condition that new members must post brand new abuse images.
The 31-year-old was caught when investigators found the distinctive trainers he wore in one of the videos in his house, the National Crime Agency (NCA) said.
Gallagher, of Leigh, Greater Manchester, was jailed for 15 years at Bolton Crown Court after admitting a catalogue of sex offences, including one charge of rape, four counts of sexual assault, five charges of making indecent photographs, two counts of distributing an indecent image of a child and two counts of possession of indecent images.
He was also given an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and was made to sign the sex offenders register for life.
Sentencing Gallagher, Judge Timothy Stead said “choosing words to describe the nature of this vile offending are wholly inadequate”.
The court heard that Gallagher filmed his attacks on the children four times in 2017 and uploaded them to Russian-based messaging app Telegram.
He was arrested in October last year after Homeland Security investigators in America shared intelligence with the NCA relating to video files shared on Dropbox.
When NCA officers searched his house they found the pair of Nike Air Max trainers Gallagher wore in one of the abuse videos and the mobile phone he used to record and upload the footage.
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During police interview, Gallagher denied having a sexual interest in children, saying he got gratification from engaging with other men who did.
NCA Operations Manager Graham Ellis said: “Tashan Gallagher has been convicted of some truly incomprehensible, horrific crimes.
“His escalation of offending is very frightening; going from viewing abuse images to sexually abusing children, recording it and posting it online so he could join a private group.
“These forums incite offenders to increase their offending and are at the epicentre of online child sexual abuse.
“Gallagher represents where law enforcement needs to be, targeting the highest risk, most dangerous offenders using covert and specialist capabilities as required.
“The NCA will continue to work with our partners, at home and abroad, to ensure those who abuse children are brought to justice”.
